MSc

The present study entitled the “Standardisation of blended cashew apple RTS beverages” was attempted to standardise cashew apple RTS beverages by blending cashew apple with other fruit juices like orange, pineapple and lime and ginger and cardamom extracts and to find out acceptable beverages with high sensory and nutritional qualities with good shelf life.

Thirty four RTS beverages were prepared using cashew apple as the base and mixing with orange, pineapple and lime juices at different combinations with and without the addition of spice extracts. Organoleptic evaluation of RTS beverages was carried out using five-point scale by semi-trained panel of ten judges and twelve most acceptable beverages were selected for storage study. Selected beverages were stored under ambient and refrigerated conditions for a period of three months and the beverages were analysed for chemical, sensory and microbial qualities.

An increase in the acidity and total sugar content of beverages was noticed during storage under ambient conditions, while a decrease was noticed under refrigerated storage condition. An increase in the TSS and reducing sugar contents was observed in almost all beverages stored both under ambient and refrigerated conditions. A decrease in the vitamin C and β-carotene contents was observed in all beverages through out the storage period in both the storage conditions. Higher percentage of vitamin C and β-carotene was retained in the beverages stored under refrigerated condition. A significant decrease in the tannin content of the beverages was also observed under both the storage conditions and the decrease was found to be more in beverages stored under ambient condition.

The sensory qualities of all beverages were found to be acceptable even after third month of storage under refrigerated condition, but the RTS beverages stored under ambient condition was found to be unacceptable after first month of storage due to fermentation.

During the initial period of storage, no bacterial growth was observed in the spiced RTS beverages. After third month of storage the bacterial growth was observed in all beverages, but the rate of increase was found to be low under refrigerated storage conditions.

Among the different combinations evaluated the beverage prepared with 75 per cent of cashew apple and 25 per cent lime juice without any spice extract was found to be the most acceptable up to one month of storage under ambient condition and up to three months of storage under refrigerated condition with respect to nutritional quality, acceptability and lower tannin content. The beverage prepared by blending equal proportion of cashew apple and pineapple juice with one drop of cardamom extract also was found to be acceptable after one month of storage under ambient condition and up to two months under refrigerated condition. Under refrigerated condition, the beverages prepared with equal proportion of cashew apple and pineapple juices with one drop of ginger and cashew apple (75%) and lime juice (25%) with one drop of ginger also were found to be acceptable up to two months of storage.

Blending of cashew apple juice with other fruit juices and spice extracts improved the nutritional quality and acceptability of cashew apple juice in terms of taste, flavour and mouth feel. Hence, the cashew apple which is under utilised can be commercially exploited in the processing sector by preparing nutritious and acceptable blended beverages using commonly available fruits and flavouring extracts.